The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-25

suade MN from his purpose. but go, papa,
and use your influence with him. Perhaps
you might succeed where failedn
Before the young lady had finished
speaking her father had reached the front
door. Those of his friends who saw him
that night on his way down town wondered
greatly at the elasticity with which the
corpulent tobacconist moved along the
street.
The dueling party could not have reached
Broad street when Mr.. Morriss paused, out
of breath, at the door of Virgil's chamber
The tobacconist raped upon the door, but
no one answered his knock. He then raped
upon the door of the adjoining room, but
with the same result. He returned to the
door of the young lawyers sleeping apart
ment and peered through the key hole. No
light save that from the moon filled the
room. He turned the knob. The door was
locked
Perhaps he retired early so as to rise be-
fore daybreak. have great mind to call
him." and, after moments hesitation, he
called our hero several times, but no sound
save the echo of his own voice came to his
ears.
HE is gonel He is gomez cried the gen.
tleman, as he took HANDKERCHIEF and wiped
the perspration from his face.E 'To avoid
arrest he has probably hid himself some
where until morning But Milton is in the
ton!n
There came no reply.
The tobacconist called him again. This
time he heard Milton, in a frightened voice,
call out:
''Oh, brother! Brotherl Where are yous
Some thief is trying to break inr'
Don't be alarmed, my SON. said Mr..
NORRIS, kindly. sit is I-Mr. Morriss.
Open the door"
Mr.. MorrissF'
YES, my son."
By the aid of the moonlight the boy
found match and lighted the gas There
were two keys to the DOORS Virgil had
carried one away with him, and the other
lay on the cabinet. With the latter key
Milton unlocked the door and admitted the
tobacconist.
Where is your brother, Milton?n said the
gentleman.
81 don't know, sir" replied the little fell
low, as his eyes wandered, in a brighten ed
manner, about the room. when | went
to eep he was sitting right there by the
window. Where do you think he could have
gone, Mr.. Morrisss He acted mighty
strangely. He scarcely had anything to
say, and, oh, he did look so sadI When
was saying my prayers he came up to me,
and, putting his hand on my head, said:
Pray for brother, Milton, as if didn't al
ways pray for him."
Mr.. Morriss' attention was drawn at this
moment to a letter on the centre table, and
on examining the superscription, found it
addressed to himself and wife in Virgil's
hand The young lawyer had written 1t in
the afternoon, but in his excitement had
neglected to drop the letter in the post
office. That it was his purpose it should
reach Mr.. Morriss and his wife through the
mail was evident from the stamp on the en-
velope. The contents of the letter were as
follows:
''RICHMoND, VA, Aug. l, IS.
"MR. AND MRS. MoRRISS-My Dear
Friends: When you receive this letter the
duel in which Marvin and myself propose
to engage will d ubtleSs have been fought,
and you will have learned the cause that led
thereto. My conscience tells me my con-
duct in this matter is unbecoming Chris
tian. Do not censure me too harshly, my
dear friends, but think'of me as kindly as
you can.
1T is my wish, should fall by the bull
let of my antagonist that you would bring
Milton UP in your home. would not ask
such a thing of you if you did not love the
child so dearly, and had not more than once
assured me you would gladly rear and edu-
cate him if | should be taken from him in
his childhood.
81 want Milton to acquire lucrative pro-
fession, and, when he has done so, he must
not be burden to you day longer than he
can help
Thanking you and Pauline for the thou
sand kindneSseS you and she have shown
Milton and myself during our residence in
Richmond, l bid you and ner good-by-per-
haps forever. Affectionately yours,
VIRGIL WARWICK PAINE"
''May the Lord have mercy on him-poor
boy!" exclaimed the tobacconist when he
had finished reading the young lawyers let
ter.
rissr inquired Milton, his lips quiverng
HAS he-is he-going to commit suicide!
Oh. Mr.. NORRIS, tell me, please, what's the
matter~
The gentleman drew the boy to him and
briefly told him what had happened, after
which he read Virgil'S letter aloud. Milton
hid his face on Mr.. NORRIS breast and wept
as his heart would break.
ooh, Mr.. Norris, do you think brother
will be killeds Do youf asked the boy,
raising his face to the tobacconists.
II hope not, my son." was the soothing
reply. "We must look to God, and He will,
l trust, bring it out all right. Don't cry any
longer. am going home now, and my lit
tie boy must go with me. So make haste
and dress yourself
In few minutes the lad put on his
clothes, and, taking MIR. MOTIFS by the hand,
accompanied that gen leman home.
Mrs. Morriss and PAUL. were still in the
sitting room. Milton, on entering the
room, rushed to the latter, and, burying his
face on her shoulder, burst into another
paroxysm of grief.
"Oh, Miss Pauliel Miss Paulie, 4" he cried.
81 wish your cousin had stayed in Europe!
IL wish--I wish the ship that brought her
home had-had-sunkl Yes, do wish sop
Milton, my darling p said Pauline, strok-
ing his hair. 81 never heard such wicked
words pass your lips before. You shock
me, child. Such language is very unbecom-
ing little lamb of the fold. You must
net hate Miss Florine She deserves our
sincerest sympathy, and l am sure if you
would see her now your heart would go
out in tenderness toward her. This affair
has completely crushed her." Then, turn
ing to her father, she continued: "And he
would not listen to youp
''He was gone, my child" replied Mr.
Morriss. Here is letter he wrote TO your
mother and myself" and he read the epistle
again.
There remains but one thing for us TO
do, he said, as he replaced the letter in the
envelope 1--WE must trust in God. Let us
now ask Him to be with our erring friend"
Immediately every head was bowed, and
in a voice husky with emotion the tobac-
conist prayed, as his daughter had done,
that something might occur to prevent the
duel from taking place, and that their night
of suspense and weeping might be followed
by rejoicing in the morning.
n